Information on photo-usage and copyright

Use of photo's and images from this Natural History of Iceland Site

Regularly requests are made on the use of pictures presented in this site. This page presents basic guidelines to usage of my photo's by third parties.

First: at all times a person or organization must contact me ( Report to me) about intentions of usage.

Second: I have a different policy for professional organizations and for students (including school kids, private persons). Note here that the difference is not commercial/non-commercial but professional/private individual. If organizations want to make use of the free use policy like for single individuals they must state why.

Third: Others have kindly offered their photo's to this site. I have no rights concerning these photo's. Thus I can not give permission for use of these photo's at any time. Requests must be made to the right holder (the photographers) directly!! Where ever these photo's appear the origin as well as e-mail contact addresses are given.

 Policy towards students/private requests -  Policy towards professional organizations -  About prints -  Costs of prints

Policy towards students and/or private requests:

Basically usage is free. There are a few restrictions though,

  • No transfer of copyrights
  • No commercial usage
  • When used for PhD thesis' or equivalent products and these products are subsidized either by a university or a funding business usage is not free but costs EURO 50,- (Europe) or $50,- (rest of the world).
  • All processing costs for prints and subsequent shipping of prints are to be paid by the requesting person. The costs of prints are listed here. Apart from downloading the jpg-files from my site higher resolution files can be sent.

The last item needs some explanation: the electronic files of images are presented in a low resolution format. For better quality a print might be necessary. I also get occasionally requests for prints. The costs of prints are found below.

 Policy towards students/private requests -  Policy towards professional organizations -  About prints -  Costs of prints

Policy towards professional organizations:

As stated above, when organizations have a specific idealistic objective (like nature conservation) and have little funds I am willing to apply the same rules as for students/private requests. The organizations wanting to make free us must contact Report to me and explain the combination of idealistic objectives and lack of funds after which I decide if these arguments make sense.

Otherwise the following policy is:

  • Basic fee is Euro 50,- (for users in Europe) or $ 50,- (for users outside Europe) for one time usage.
  • Preparing and sending high resolution files of the image is another Euro 10.- or $ 10.-
  • Usage of the same image for a different products requires again a payment of the basic fee.
  • No transfer of copy rights. If the organization wants to buy the original photo (usually a color positive slide) and the copyrights the costs are Euro 1000,- (within Europe) or $ 1000,- (rest of the world).
  • All costs for requests for prints (including shipment) are to be paid by the requesting party. Current print costs can be found below.

 Policy towards students/private requests -  Policy towards professional organizations -  About prints -  Costs of prints

About Prints

When requests are made for prints the following has to be bared in mind: the original films (mostly color positive slides, occasionally black & white negatives) come in three different formats, being:

  • standard SLR format (24x36mm) - height/width relation = 2x3
  • mid size 6x7 (6x7 cm) - height/width relation = 6x7
  • panoramic (24x60mm) - height/width relation = 2x5 = 1x2.5

It is important to realize that whenever you request prints that have different height/width relation than that of the original negative/slide parts of the original will have to be deleted. Also, detailed images of birds and plants presented on the site are often sections of the original photo. In the landscape photography the original photos are presented completely. In all cases the size of the original photo (standard/6x7/panoramic) is given in the blow-up screen. There you will find my corresponding number of the photo (for example "y20010101" for standard size, "y20010101-6x7" for a 6x7 photo etc.

It is also important to note that the panoramic (24x60mm) but much more so the 6x7cm photo's are much better for large prints. Prints of 120cm by 140cm can easily be made from the 6x7's but a comparable size from standard photo materials could lead to disappointing results, especially when viewed from a to close distance. Therefore I suggest large prints to be made by the 6x7 or panoramic photo's.

 Policy towards students/private requests -  Policy towards professional organizations -  About prints -  Costs of prints

Costs of prints
(indicative prices index January 1, 2015 - prices may vary in time)

- Mass consumer lab prices for prints:
30x45 cm prints = Euro 6.75

- Professional lab prices for large prints (necessary for all prints larger than 60x80 cm)
1) Intermediate negative for large prints: Euro 5.70.- +
2) Euro 100.- per square meter

To get an idea some examples (Eu prices within Europe, $'s outside Europe)


Example 1, You would like to make use of a photo for a specific project, like a photo in a magazine article. The basic fee of Euro 50.- or $ 50 applies. Added to that are costs of shipping, if 10,- / $ 10,- is required (Euro's within Europe, Dollars outside Europe). In total that would be Euro/$ 60.00.


Example 2, you would wish a large print from a panoramic photo. print of 1.50m long. The natural width would be 1.5/2.5 = 0.6 or 60 cm.
0.6x1.5=0.9 square meter
The costs would be:
My fee: Euro 50,-
+ Intermediate negative: Euro 10
+ 0.9x100 = Euro 90
+ shipping costs
In total that would be Euro/$ 150.- + shipping costs (obviously that depends on where you live).


Example 3, you want to buy the photo (negative or slide) including all copy rights: As with all other request you must contact me first. The costs of such an transaction would be Euro 1000,- or $ 1000,-. Although this does mean transfer of copyrights the recognition of me as the photographer will be honored.


If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me: Report to me

Natural History of Iceland Site  in Dutch

Natural History of Iceland Site  in Dutch